This book provides an interesting look into 17th century England and the beginnings of Newfoundland. The author was really good about making the time period interesting and the historical figures relatable. I wish there had been more description and more description about Sarah Kirke's feelings about Newfoundland. Lady Kirke is an interesting woman of her time as an entrepreneur. Her opinions and knowledge were valued. That's what makes this book an intriguing read.

This is a complicated story, all sorts of things are going on around this time. But it centers around the Kirke and Andrews families. David is the oldest son and helps with the wine business and they own a couple of ships. Sara Andrews and her sister, Frances are very close. Sara is to marry David when he comes back from Quebec.
There are a lot of threads to this story and the author has manage to twist them into an excellent tale, there are battles, negotiation and travel on the high seas. The characters are life like and you feel like you know them. The descriptions are amazing, like Freeland (Newfoundland) where Lord Baltimore once lived. It is a beautiful sounding place, the rocks, the birds, the fish jumping into the boats. David loves it there, as does Sara. The author has done a marvelous job of making it possible for us to get a glimpse of this long ago land. It got a little slow in spots but picked right up. I am glad I was able to read this sweeping saga.

This is the my first historical novel set in Canada. While I found the time period and the historical events interesting, the writing dragged in spots, and this affected my overall enjoyment of the book. I appreciate how much research went into the accuracy of historical facts, but at no point was I completely enmeshed in this story and fully transported to 17th century Newfoundland through the telling of this historical tale. Disappointing, as that is one of the things that usually makes historical fiction so enjoyable.